Double Identity
by Red Witch
Summary: As new mutants come to the mansion, Rogue is plagued by nightmares about her past. Is there more to them than meets the eye? If so who is behind them? Read the completed fic to find out!
1. These Dreams

**The disclaimer telling you that I don't own X-Men Evolution, GI Joe characters or any Marvel characters have gone to bed for the night. This idea came into my mind on how to introduce Carol Danvers as well as a few other characters into the Misfitverse. It's a bit of a twist. But I think you'll like it. **

**Double Identity**

**Chapter 1: These Dreams**

"Are you ready my dear?"

She looked up at Magneto and nodded. She obediently followed him into the lab. She saw Mastermind there as well as a young blonde woman strapped to a table. She had a black mask over her eyes and was wearing a black uniform with a lightning stripe on it.

"You creeps let me go!" She shouted.

"Everything is ready Magneto," Mastermind said.

"Excellent," Magneto made a gesture. "You know what to do."

She didn't protest. She knew what had to be done according to her master's will as she removed her gloves.

"What are you gonna do to me?" The woman shouted. She looked up. "What are you doing? What the…AAAGGGHHHH!"

"Drain her…" Magneto ordered.

"NOOO!" Rogue shouted as she sat up.

She shivered and got out of bed. She looked into the mirror. But instead of her reflection, it was the one of the woman in the lab.

"Why did you kill me?" The woman shouted. The image came to life and her hands reached out of the mirror to grab Rogue. "WHY?"

"NOOOOO!" Rogue shouted. She sat up covered in sweat. She looked at her hands, closed her eyes and lay back. "Just a dream…Just a dream…Please god let it be just a dream."

**Next: New mutants and new faces come to the mansion, but so does an old one. Who comes back from the past to haunt the X-Men? Does it have anything to do with Rogue's dream? Or was it a memory? Find out in the next exciting chapter! **


	2. Everything Old Is New Again

**Okay, here's more new people I'm gonna add from the comics. Some of them are from very different sources but since this is an AU universe, why not throw them in? See if you can guess which comics I'm borrowing characters from. **

**Everything Old is New Again**

Late that afternoon the newly formed main X-Men team met in the briefing room. The team was now consisted of Scott, Jean, Rogue, Remy, Kurt, Kitty, Peter, Hank, Ororo, Bobby (His probationary period was now officially over) and Rina. It had been decided that Rina's fighting skills took precedence over her social skills, which were actually developing surprisingly well.

Due to all the new changes Xavier had decided it was time to do some major restructuring of the teams. The only reason Logan wasn't on the official X-Men team now was that he was needed more as a combat instructor. Especially now.

"It has been several months since 'Stryker Sunday'," The anchorman on the news spoke as the X-Men watched. "And it has been estimated that nearly two hundred people with dormant X-genes have been activated. The X-gene as we all know, is the random chromosome of DNA that gives mutants their powers. After Stryker Sunday mutant sightings in New York have become more and more frequent."

A shot of a female mutant with white skin and catlike ears being led into a courthouse was shown. Two other female mutants were with her. "It is now believed that mutant prostitution has now become a thriving business, with rival crime factions fighting over territory as well as several independent gangs operating."

A few other random shots of people with obvious mutations going into homes or hiding in alleys running from people were shown. "The police have reported that since the Bayville riots, violence against mutants has been slowly increasing. Not surprisingly, there are also reports of mutant gangs fighting back. To counteract the violence, the governor is proposing a new mutant control task force to handle the situation."

"As you can see the situation is becoming dangerous," Xavier hit the mute button. "It's imperative that we X-Men prepare for what lies ahead."

"I have a question. Cerebro detected a lot more mutant signatures than what they said on the news," Kitty said. "Why is that number so low?"

"Stryker Sunday affected hundreds of people," Scott said. "But most of them are trying to hide. Some are able to. Others aren't so lucky."

"Tensions in New York aren't at a breaking point yet but that could change at any day," Jean said. "There's already a few blocks of the city that seem to have more mutants inhabiting it than the rest of the city. It's being called District X."

"You mean a mutant ghetto," Rogue frowned.

"Pretty much," Scott sighed. "Only it's not exactly enforced as mutants only."

"Not yet," Logan said as he walked in. "Chuck I brought in that new girl. She's a real piece of work by the way."

"New girl?" Jean asked. "So we are taking new recruits."

"It's become a necessity," Xavier said. "It's part of the negotiations I'm making with the Mayor of New York on how to handle the increasing new mutant population."

"What do you mean by 'handle'?" Rogue asked.

"People are frightened," Xavier said. "Both humans and mutants. All those mutants manifesting their powers right at the same time…It was a traumatic event. We've been lucky so far that there have only been some minor fights between humans and mutants in New York City. And most of them have dissipated quickly."

"Yeah, well New York's a lot tougher town than most cities," Logan pointed out. "Compared to Bayville, New York is almost paradise. They don't have any mutant bans in that city."

"But we all know all it takes is just one event to change that," Scott pointed out. "One gang fight that gets out of control or one mutant nut job to cause trouble."

"Or the FOH and some of their friends," Bobby pointed out.

"So how many mutants are there really in New York now?" Kurt asked.

"Our last estimate is about eight hundred and thirteen mutant signatures," Hank told him. "I believe we may need a bigger mansion."

"That goes without saying," Xavier said. "Right now we have five new recruits this semester."

"Out of all those people only **five** showed up at our door for help?"Kitty was shocked. "How could that be?"

"Well for one thing it seems the Massachusetts Academy managed to grab a lot of 'em," Logan grunted. "Not to mention Magneto."

"Wonderful," Rogue moaned. "Just what we need."

"Plus as Cyclops stated before a lot of them are hiding," Xavier continued. "Afraid to reveal themselves as mutants. Or they do not wish to be affiliated with us."

"Gee I wonder **why?**" Rogue grumbled. "I mean we only get attacked every other day and some maniac is always trying to kill us plus the fact we have so many lawsuits against us. Who **wouldn't **want to be an X-Man!"

"It's just as well," Scott sighed. "We barely have enough room as it is."

"I'm planning on making a few new additions to the school," Xavier said. "Until then our new students as well as some of our newer recruits will be going to Muir Island for training."

"So some of the New Mutants are gonna be transferred to Generation X for a while?" Rogue asked. "Which ones?"

"We're still working on it," Scott admitted. "Needless to say things are gonna be cramped for about a month or so."

"Our last student will be arriving later this evening," Xavier said. "Right now I think we should give our new students a warm welcome."

Soon all the X-Men were in the main living room. "Man, I can't believe how many of us there are here," Kurt said to Rogue. "And now there are gonna be more students!"

"Yeah and to think I used to complain when there were only six of us," Rogue smirked. Then winced in pain.

"Are you okay?" Kurt asked.

"Just a little headache, no biggie," Rogue said. "I've just been a little tired lately."

"Tired?" Kurt asked. "Let me guess, all that extra homework keeping you up at night like the rest of us?"

"Yeah it's great that we'll be able to graduate at the end of the year together and all but all the class work they're giving us really bites," Kitty groaned.

"Says the genius," Rogue rolled her eyes. Xavier had made arrangements for the three of them to pass the state requirements for a high school diploma along with Peter and Remy.

"Just think though," Kitty said. "We'd be the first actual graduating 'class' of the Xavier Institute. That's pretty cool."

"Yeah, thrilling," Remy grumbled.

"Oh quit your bellyaching Swamp Rat," Rogue told him. "It will do you good to get an actual diploma the way most folks get it rather than forge one."

Three teens entered into the room. "Everyone I'd like you to meet our new students here at the Institute," Xavier said. "This is Tim Fitzgerald, codename: Skullfire. He can retain and release any type of energy," Xavier introduced a tall 17 year old who had shaggy auburn hair, glowing white skin with black circles around his white eyes. He was wearing a white T-shirt, torn jeans, fingerless gloves and a black leather jacket.

"Hey," Kurt waved. "Welcome to the Institute. Glad you decided to join the X-Men."

"Well it was either this or jail," Tim grumbled. He was clearly not happy to be there.

"O-kay…" Kurt blinked.

"Everett Thomas, Synch," Xavier introduced a familiar looking young black teen.

"Wait a minute…" Kitty stared at him. "Didn't he **die** in the Purist attack on the Massachusetts Academy?"

"Yeah I could have sworn he disintegrated right before our eyes!" Rogue blinked.

"That was my twin brother, Emerson," Everett explained. "I thought only he had mutant powers until the attack. So…I decided since my powers were the same as my brother's, my name should be the same too."

"Wow," Kitty blinked. "Hold it, you have the exact same powers as him? Is that possible?

"It's extremely rare for two mutants to have the exact same powers," Hank said. "Even if they are siblings. But it can happen. Of course with all these new mutations popping up the chances of new mutants having similar or the exact same powers as we do has increased dramatically."

"You…saw my brother die?" Everett asked.

"The nanites," Rogue said softly. "We couldn't get to him in time. It wasn't pretty."

"Yeah well," Everett sighed. "I decided to give the X-Men a try and see how that went. Kind of different than my brother's path you know? Still a hell of a way to go though."

"Well death is a bit of an interesting trip," A young woman with sickly green skin and short black hair spoke up. "I should know." Her eyes were mostly white with a red retina. Her clothes were rags and torn but she didn't seem very concerned about that. She was oddly defiant about what she wore.

"Like what happened to you?" Kitty blinked.

"What **didn't** happen to me?" She grinned back. "Sorry I'm a bit of a mess. Just literally dug myself up a few hours ago."

"Everyone this is…Uh…" Xavier seemed at a loss for a moment.

"Call me Dead Girl," She said. "Because that's basically what I am. My mutation showed up **after** I was murdered."

"After?" Bobby blinked. "You mean you're…"

"Dead, yes," Dead Girl said. "Hence the name, 'Dead Girl'."

"What do you mean **dead?**" Kitty looked at her. "You're standing right here talking to us."

"I'm also dead," Dead Girl told her. "Dead as in deceased. Passed on, no more, medically ceased to be, I've expired but I haven't gone to meet my maker. If I weren't here I'd be pushing up the daisies. I've rung down the curtain and joined the choir not so invisible. I am an ex-person! Any more Monty Python quotes I need to mangle before you believe me?"

"But she's not **really **dead is she?" Bobby asked.

"And people think corpses are hard to reason with," Dead Girl moaned.

"Let me explain," Hank waved his arm.

"Please don't or we'd never get it," Sam moaned.

"She not only has the ability to rebuild her body's molecular structure," Hank explained. "She can animate it even though her body's functions, well…no longer really function."

"I can also communicate with the dead, who by the way are a lot smarter than you would think they would be," Dead Girl said. "Then again they do have an advantage. I mean they're privy to a lot more information and know more about what kind of goes on in the universe than the living do. Trust me, you could be the smartest guy on the planet and you wouldn't know **half **the things the most clueless dead guy knows."

"I still don't get it," Bobby said.

"She's a zombie stupid!" Jamie groaned. "Sheesh! How hard is that to understand?"

"I prefer the term Living Impaired American," Dead Girl grinned. "But it's close enough."

"I still don't get how she can be dead yet talk to us at the same time," Paige said.

"Fine let me show you," Dead Girl sighed. "You with the shades, Cyclops is it? Could you do me a favor and blast a hole through me?"

"WHAT?" Scott shouted. "But I could…"

"Kill me?" Dead Girl looked at him. "Hello? I've just explained **twelve times** that I'm **already dead!** Just shoot me okay?"

"It's all right Scott," Xavier nodded. "Go ahead."

"Come on," Dead Girl moved back and let everyone else move away. "Hit me with your best shot!"

"I dunno, I don't want to hurt you," Scott hesitated.

"You're not! Just shoot me already," Dead Girl told him. "I want you to blast me as hard as you can!"

"Are you sure…?" Scott asked.

"YES!" Dead Girl shouted.

"Oh for crying out loud!" Tim groaned and shot out an energy beam straight at her midsection with his hands. "I'LL DO IT!"

"No!" Scott shouted as the beam went right through Dead Girl, tearing a hole right through her. "ARE YOU CRAZY YOU…"

Everyone stared as the hole fixed itself immediately. "There. Good as new," She said. "Now do you believe me or do I have to cut my head off for you to get it?"

"Gross…" Jubilee gagged.

"That is totally creepy…" Kitty cringed.

"I think its cool," Jamie said excitedly. "Can I try?"

"NO!" All the other X-Men shouted at him.

"That…didn't hurt?" Rina started at her.

"Well I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a little uncomfortable but it's not as painful as it looks," Dead Girl said. "In a nutshell, my powers keep me alive even though my body isn't."

"Yes, well now that **that's** settled, finally…" Xavier noticed someone was missing. "Where…?"

"She's hiding in the back," Tim pointed with his thumb. Someone was hiding in the back room. "And people think I'm not very sociable."

"It's all right Penny, come on out now," Xavier said soothingly. Timidly an eight-year-old girl with pink skin, completely blue eyes and wild pink hair poked her head out. As she ventured into the room on all fours they could see she was wearing a black X-Man spandex outfit with black boots and her little hands had very sharp pink claws on them.

"This is…Penance, Penny for short," Xavier said. "Storm picked her up this morning. She's unable to speak but her body has a super dense molecular structure that is nearly invulnerable. And her claws are sharp enough to cut through stone."

"She's a little shy around people," Everett explained. "Poor kid. Must have been through a lot on the streets."

Penny blinked at them and remained in an apprehensive crouch. She moved over and hid behind Xavier's chair, peeking her head out. "Aww, poor thing," Kitty went down to her level. "She's scared. Hi there. Don't be afraid." She reached out to touch her shoulder. However a stray hair of hers brushed up against Kitty's hand. "OWW!"

"Yes," Xavier winced. "I forgot to mention that her hair seems to have the same properties as her claws as well."

"**Now** you tell me!" Kitty looked at her hand. "It's just a scratch but it's bleeding!"

Penny made worried sounds. Everett calmly walked over to her and patted her on the head. "It's okay Penny, you didn't mean to hurt her."

"How come you can touch her?" Tim asked.

"I'm able to copy another mutant's powers when I'm near them. You know, get 'in synch' with them, remember?" Everett said. "Since my body copies her density, she can't hurt me."

"Hey, Professor you said we were gonna get five new recruits. Who's missing?" Paige asked.

"Miss Elizabeth Braddock," Xavier told her. "She's arriving on a private plane from England."

"Oh yeah," Kurt nodded. "I remember her twin brother, Captain Britain saying something about her having trouble with her powers."

"Why don't all of you get to know each other?" Xavier suggested. No one from either side moved. "Don't all jump in at once."

"So Skullfire," Bobby called out. "What'd you do to get tossed in the slammer?"

"Blew up a couple of cop cars," Tim said casually. "Why what'd **you **do? I mean I can't picture anybody coming to this place **voluntarily!**"

"I did," Everett pointed out.

"Why?" Tim asked. "Seriously, why?"

"Because quite frankly I never really liked that woman from the Massachusetts Academy my brother associated with," Everett huffed. "That Frost woman gives me the creeps."

"Well at least the guy has good taste," Roberto shrugged. "OW!"

"Penny! Don't eat his jeans!" Ororo said. "At least while Roberto's still wearing them."

"I think she's after my Skittles," Roberto grumbled.

"Isn't everyone?" Tabitha smirked.

"Man have we got a fun new group," Logan groaned to Xavier. "A semi psychotic jailbird, a zombie, a mute pink living knife and…" He thought. "Actually that Synch seems to be the most normal of the lot. Hell, he's more normal than the students we **already** have!"

"Now you see why I need you here," Xavier told him.

"Yeah, thanks a lot Charles," Logan grumbled.

"Hey, when do we get to blow something up?" Tim asked. "I'm getting bored here."

"You just blew up your team mate not even five minutes ago!" Scott snapped.

"Yeah, so?" Tim asked.

"And you thought Thunderbird was a pain in the butt, huh?" Bobby gave Scott a look.

"At least I don't smell," Tim glared at Dead Girl.

"Give me a break, there aren't exactly any plumbing facilities in a graveyard you know?" Dead Girl told her. "Blame the guy who put me there."

"Do you…Remember…?" Kitty asked tentatively.

"How I got eighty sixed? Yeah kind of," Dead Girl said. "The only reason the spirits helped me find the guy who killed me is because I made such a racket. So they helped me out even if only to beat up the jerk when he crossed over for sticking them with me!"

"What do you mean 'crossed over'?" Sam asked. "Crossed over what?"

"The bridge to Candyland, what do you **think** I mean?" Dead Girl gave him a look.

"I thought there was something about you that reminded me of myself," Rina nodded.

"You didn't…" Scott's jaw dropped.

"Body made a nice mattress," Dead Girl grinned. "Made the grave nice and comfy."

"You're kidding right?" Scott gasped. "Tell me you are kidding!"

"Uh, no she's not…" Logan felt a headache coming on. "Trust me on this."

"Whoa…" Tim grinned. "Now that's my kind of girl!"

"I don't know who's sicker!" Scott gasped. "You or **her!**"

"Professor…" Kurt gasped. "Didn't we just go through this with **Evan**?"

"Relax Blue," Dead Girl waved her hand. "In the first place I only killed the man who killed me. Second I wasn't exactly his first victim but I made sure was his **last**. Besides, haven't I suffered enough? I mean **hello!** I am **dead**! What more can be done to me?"

"She's…kind of got a point there," Logan shrugged.

"This is a bit of a gray area, I admit," Xavier sighed. "However considering the circumstances…I think it would be beneficial for Dead Girl if we just let her past alone."

"Yeah what do you guys want to do?" Tim asked. "Call up the cops and let them know a zombie bumped off a mass murderer? Yeah, that'll work!"

"Half the cops in this town already think we're nuts," Tabitha said. "This will just confirm it to the other half!"

"Well…" Scott felt uneasy.

"I'll try not to make a habit out of it," Dead Girl said. "No more killing. I'll be a good little zombie. Cross my heart and hope to…Well, you know what I mean."

"This place gets weirder every day," Rogue moaned. The doorbell rang. "I'll get it," Rogue went to answer the door. She opened it and got the shock of her life.

"It can't be!" Rogue gasped. "Not **you!**"

"Excuse me?" The young Englishwoman looked at her. "I don't think we've ever met. I'm Betsy Braddock."

True her hair was slightly longer and she was wearing a black pantsuit but there was no denying who she was. Or rather, who she looked like. From her purple hair right down to the double piercing on her ears.

It was the face of Risty Wilde.

**Next: Rogue's life is gonna get even more complicated as the mansion gets more crowded! **


	3. Psylocke

**Psylocke**

Rogue honestly didn't know what to say. There was Risty Wilde, her former best friend, standing right in front of her. But it really wasn't Risty. Not that Risty was actually real in the first place but still…

"May I come in?" Betsy asked. "Or should I set up camp out here?"

"Uh, yeah," Rogue swallowed hard. She stepped back. "This way…"

Rogue led her into the room. "Rogue what's wrong?" Kitty asked. "You look like…" She stopped when Betsy entered the room. "YOU!"

"Yes it's me," Betsy said nervously. "Betsy Braddock."

"Holy crap!" Ray's jaw dropped. "She looks just like…" A quick elbow to the ribs by Sam stopped him.

"These are the X-Men…" Rogue really felt like screaming now. "I gotta go…do…something." She left the room in a hurry.

Logan growled and took a whiff. He looked concerned. "Charles, did you…?"

"She is who she says she is," Xavier told him. "However I was not aware of her appearance."

"Obviously," Scott blinked.

"Yeah we could have all used a little warning," Kurt said.

"What do you mean? Do I have some kind of disgusting blob on me? I don't mean to be rude, but why is everyone staring at me like I've just run over somebody's cat with my car and then used it to make breakfast?" Betsy asked.

"I'm afraid it's a long story," Jean sighed. "Let's just say you remind us of someone."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Normally running was the last thing Rogue ever did. But this was too much for her. The memories of Mystique's betrayal ran through her mind. She just couldn't stop thinking about them. They kept replaying over and over.

"Pull yourself together…" Rogue told herself out on the gazebo. "That's not Mystique…That can't be Mystique."

_"What if it was Rogue? Would you kill her like you killed me?" _

The voice startled her. She looked around to see who spoke. "Who said that? Who's there?"

Nothing. "Must be my imagination," Rogue sighed.

Then the bushes rustled.

"Come on out here!" Rogue said angrily.

Meekly Penny poked her head out of the bushes. "Oh it's just you," Rogue breathed a sigh of relief. "What are you doing out here? Scared me half to death."

Penny just whimpered a little and came towards her cautiously. "Let me guess, too crowded in there for ya?" Rogue asked. Penny nodded. "I know how you feel."

Penny came closer, accidentally slicing a few leaves from a nearby bush with her hair. "Well if I ever get stuck on gardening duty I know who to call," Rogue smirked. "Come on, don't worry I won't yell anymore.

"Looks like the two of us are two of a kind," Rogue sighed. Penny just blinked. "See I hurt anybody I touch too. Only it's a lot worse. Part of 'em is stuck inside me forever."

Penny blinked innocently. "You have no idea what I mean do ya?" Rogue looked at her. "Well that's okay. Most people don't really get it anyway. It's just so weird having all these voices in your head."

"Well I can certainly relate to that," Betsy walked up to them.

"Yeah well…" Rogue gulped. "Sorry about…before."

"The Professor and the others…" Betsy sighed. "They told me. About Mystique and well, everything. I really can't blame you for how you reacted. I'm just grateful you didn't deck me one. I mean that's what I would do in your situation."

"It's not exactly something I like to think about," Rogue grumbled.

"Look," Betsy said. "I'm not this…Risty person or whoever your mother pretended to be. Which apparently it was me. So much for a clean slate and a new life."

"How? How could she look exactly like you?" Rogue asked.

"Well apparently she had gotten into STRIKE'S files a while back," Betsy said. "My family had been supporters of STRIKE secretly for generations. She must have seen my picture or something and copied it. It's the only thing I can think of."

"Logically I know you ain't her," Rogue took a deep breath. "And it ain't fair or right to feel the way I do. But what she did to me…If you knew how she used me…It's just going to take time until I'm…"

_A flash of a memory. Rogue and Risty at a school dance. Both gossiping and laughing in the school halls. Going everywhere together…_

"You…You and her were close weren't you?" Betsy blinked. "You did everything together until…"

"You just read my mind didn't you?" Rogue snapped.

"It was an accident! I didn't mean…" Betsy tried to explain.

"Just stay away from me!" Rogue screamed as she ran off.

"Way to go girl," Betsy sighed. She looked at Penny. "Oh now I suppose you're going to blame me as well?"

Penny looked at her. "Well it's not like I can help it either," Betsy sighed. "I've always had flashes. I can't stop hearing people's thoughts sometimes. My brother calls me Betsy Butt In because I can't help but butt into peoples thoughts whether I want to or not."

Penny blinked. "Your mind is rather…Blurry," Betsy said. "I mean there's something there but I can't really sense what you are thinking."

Penny snorted then ran off. "Okay I got **that **message loud and clear," Betsy sighed.

Meanwhile Rogue had run off to another area outside. She shuddered as another strange series of unexplained thoughts raced through her head.

_"Oh you're mad at her for looking into your thoughts by accident but you have no problem stealing my life and using my powers? You are some piece of work you little freak!" _

"Shut up…" Rogue whispered. "Just shut up…"

"Rogue, are you okay?"

Rogue whirled around and saw Remy. He looked shocked. "Chere…You've been crying. What's wrong?"

"Oh, it's…Betsy or whoever she is I guess," Rogue decided to tell a partial truth. "Kinda brought up a few memories."

"You sure that's all? You've been acting jumpy the past few days," Remy frowned. "Don't think Remy hasn't noticed."

"I…I'm okay, really."

"No, you're not. Rogue, what's really bothering you?" Remy asked. "And don't lie to me."

"Can't lie to a liar huh?"

"Remy serious, Chere. What's wrong?"

"Remy…" Rogue looked at him. "Back on Asteroid M…When Magneto captured us. I don't think I got my extra powers through that serum. I think I got them when I killed someone…"


	4. Power Probe

**Power Probe**

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Scott asked the Professor the next morning. "I mean the last time the Triplets tried to analyze **anything** it **exploded!**"

"And it was only a plant which burned for three days straight," Remy added.

"Well to be fair Forge did have a hand in that operation as well," Hank grinned wryly.

"Hey!" Forge protested. They were setting up equipment in the medical bay with Airtight.

"Don't worry," Airtight said. "Lifeline and I will be here to supervise the whole thing."

"**That's** what I'm worried about," Scott groaned.

"But Lifeline is a very qualified medic and…" Airtight began.

"He meant **you** ya nitwit!" Roadblock remarked as he put down a piece of machinery. "Start helping us set up now or else I quit!"

It had been decided that in order to better understand the powers of the new recruits they would be subjected to the newest type of scanning devices Trinity had come up with. Of course the assurances that the procedure would be painless didn't exactly ease anyone's mind. All the Misfits and X-Men were there in the large observation room to see what would happen. The fact that they wanted to witness the latest disaster didn't shock anyone. What shocked everyone is that Rogue herself volunteered to be the first test subject.

"You sure you wanna do this?" Remy asked Rogue as he took her aside.

"I need to know," Rogue told him. "I need to find out once and for all where these extra powers came from."

"Maybe you should tell the Professor…" Remy began.

"No, no I can't," Rogue shuddered. "You remember what it was like around here when I thought I shattered Mystique when we all thought she was a statue. I can't go through that again. I mean the last time it nearly tore everyone apart."

"You don't know for sure you killed someone," Remy said.

"Well until then not a word about this," Rogue told him.

"All right we're all set up and ready to go," Airtight clapped his hands together in eager anticipation.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Tim asked Scott. "I mean letting these soldier boys scan us like this?"

"Would you prefer they dissect us?" Betsy gave him a look.

"The Joes aren't like that," Jean told them. "They're a bit…eccentric…"

"They're loons is what they are," Scott muttered under his breath. "Have to be with the Misfits around."

"So let me get this straight," Tim asked. "The Misfits are army mutants and you let them come over here nearly every day? Aren't you worried about security or something?"

"That went out the window the first time Trinity reprogrammed the Danger Room," Scott moaned.

"Don't remind me," Jean moaned. "My hair smelled burnt for over a month after that incident!"

"What?" Everett asked.

"You don't wanna know dude," Forge shook his head.

"Maybe being with the X-Men isn't so bad after all," Tim thought. "There could have been a lot worse places I might have ended up!"

"This is so weird…" Rogue muttered as she lay down on the scanner bed and was hooked up to some wires.

"Now Rogue," Airtight told her as he hooked himself up with the last wires to a machine. "We need to understand your powers fully. Knowing the effect of your powers on individuals and yourself may help you one day recover your ability to touch."

"So why are you hooking yourself up?" Rogue blinked.

"Well I always wanted to know what happens to the subjects you use your powers on," Airtight said. "This will scan the effects on my body as well as yours when you use your powers."

"Let me get this straight," Rogue looked at him. "You want me to knock you out?"

"Oh yes," Airtight nodded excitedly. "I'm looking forward to it."

"I think we're **all** looking forward to it," Low Light groaned.

"These guys really are nuts aren't they?" Everett blinked.

"You have no idea…" Bobby groaned.

"All right we're good to go," Forge nodded. "Trinity you ready?"

"Ready!" They chirped wearing their pink lab coats and goggles.

"Just relax Rogue," Airtight instructed her. "Clear your mind."

"Not **one** word Pietro!" Rogue snapped.

"Hey you're not exactly Blob you know," Pietro snickered.

"Note to self, give Pietro a huge atomic wedgie later on," Fred glared at him.

"Can I help?" Wanda asked.

Meanwhile Trinity and Airtight were running the scan on Rogue with Forge's help. "All right Rogue now I want you to give me a little tap with your finger," Airtight offered his hand.

"Okay, don't say I didn't warn ya," Rogue tapped her finger and let her power do her work.

"Oooooooohhhhh," Airtight felt woozy. "Sleepy…" He passed out.

"Whoa! The instruments are going off the scale!" Daria said.

"There's a lot of brain activity going on!" Lifeline said. "What the…" Suddenly Rogue screamed and lifted herself into the air.

"AIIIGGGHHEEEEE!" Rogue screamed then collapsed on the ground.

"Uh, this is not what I expected to happen," Forge gulped.

"No kidding!" Scott snapped.

**Next: Rogue goes rogue! **


	5. Breakdown

**Breakdown**

"I don't understand it!" Forge walked into the infirmary. "There was **nothing** in the equipment that went wrong! Nothing faulty! Not even a dim light bulb! Trinity, Arcade and I must have made at least a half dozen checks even **before** this happened and still…"

"Forge, I'm not so sure it was the equipment that caused Rogue to have a seizure like that," Xavier reassured him. He was in the infirmary with Lifeline, Jean, Kurt and Remy. Everyone else had been exiled upstairs. Rogue was lying on the hospital bed knocked out.

"What you saying **Airtight** had something to do with this?" Lifeline asked. "I know he's batty but still…"

"No, I mean perhaps Rogue had a psychic overload," Xavier interrupted him. "No matter how many times I help her purge and contain the personalities of the people she absorbs, somehow a small part of them remains imbedded in her psyche. Airtight could have been simply one psyche too many."

"It has happened before," Scott frowned.

"But she hasn't absorbed anybody in a while," Kurt said.

"That we know of…" Remy frowned.

"The problem is somehow I'm being blocked," Xavier frowned. "I can't get a fix on her thoughts. It's almost like someone else is shielding her mind but…"

"Ohhh…" Rogue moaned.

"She's waking up," Jean said. "Rogue? Rogue are you okay?" Rogue opened her eyes and sat up. "Take it easy Rogue, you've had a nasty shock."

"Who…Who the hell are you people?" Rogue asked in a northern accent. "Where am I?"

"Rogue, it's us," Scott said.

"Chere don't you remember me?" Remy asked reaching out to her.

"I've never seen any of you people in my life!" Rogue snapped brushing his hand away. "What the hell is going on here? And what the hell is **that?**" Her eyes widened when she saw Kurt.

"Rogue it's me! Kurt! Your brother," Kurt was shocked.

"Oh no, there is no way on earth that I am related to **you!**" Rogue got out of the bed. "Who are you people and why am I here?"

"Professor what's wrong? Why doesn't Rogue remember us?" Jean asked.

"In the first place kid, my name isn't Rogue it's…" Rogue looked around and caught a glimpse of herself in a mirror on the wall. "What the hell…?" She walked over to it. "This isn't my face! What did you people **do** to me?"

"You're **her** aren't you…" Remy realized something. "You're the one been stuck in Rogue's head."

"Stuck in…" Rogue looked at him. "Get me out of here! Now!"

"Rogue please," Lifeline went to comfort her. "You have to calm down!"

"My name is Carol!" Rogue screamed. "Carol Danvers!" She grabbed Lifeline and tossed him against the wall.

"Rogue! No! Don't do this!" Kurt teleported and tried to hold onto her only to be thrown away like a rag doll.

"I don't know who or what you people are but I'm getting outta this nuthouse! HEY!" Rogue shouted as she was restrained by Jean's telekinesis.

"Sorry, Rogue but until you calm down…" Jean put her hands to her head in order to hold her.

"LET GO OF ME!" Rogue screamed as she struggled.

"Rogue focus on my…" Xavier began to probe her thoughts. "She's blocking me! I can't get through!"

"RRRRAAAHGHHHHHH!" Rogue made a huge effort and shattered the force of Jean's telekinesis, creating a huge backlash that sent the X-Men sprawling.

"She broke through my telekinesis!" Jean shouted.

"Look out!" Scott warned as Rogue flew rapidly towards the ceiling.

Then she flew through it.

"ROGUE!" Scott screamed as the rubble from the falling ceiling fell on them. Jean was able to erect a telekinetic shield to protect them from the falling debris.

"Rogue come back!" Remy screamed. But it was too late, she had taken off.

Jean let down the shields as the last of the rubble fell and used her telekinesis to clear the debris off of them. "I…I can't sense her anymore! She flew away too fast!"

"Not that it would do much good," Xavier said. "For some reason her mind was blocked off to me!"

"What is going on here?" Lance shouted as the Misfits ran in. "And what happened to your roof?"

"Rogue, she went nuts…" Kurt groaned. "For no reason!"

"So what else is new?" Pietro quipped.

"No I mean she **really** went nuts!" Kurt glared at him. "She didn't even recognize us!"

"She thinks she's someone else named Carol," Jean said. Then she looked at Remy. "And somehow Gambit knew about it."

"Sort of…" Remy sighed.

"Okay Gambit, you know something so spill it!" Logan growled at him.

"Rogue didn't want anyone to know," Remy sighed. "She's been having dreams, memory flashes. Of someone she absorbed on Asteroid M when we were captured."

"You'd better start at the beginning," Xavier told him.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Rogue/Carol flew as fast as she could in the sky, glad to be away from that weird place. "What did they do to me? What happened? Wait…I was on a mission…And that girl…Of course, they tried to stop me! But their plan backfired! Well I'm going to teach them a lesson. Don't mess with Ms. Marvel!"

She flew to her destination with nothing but revenge on her mind.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"And that's all Remy knows," Remy finished his tale to the X-Men and Misfits.

"So she thinks she's this Carol Danvers chick?" Todd asked.

"That's very odd," Xavier frowned. "I have been working with Rogue and her psyches regularly. And not once have I encountered a personality like the one you described."

"Maybe it was so traumatic it just got buried along with the others?" Jean suggested. "I mean it's possible."

"And from what you described of Rogue's dreams it seems she did not do this of her own free will," Hank thought. "Is it possible that somehow Magneto happened to bury this extra personality using another telepath?"

"Anything's possible," Xavier said. "I'm not infallible. I couldn't sense Lucas before he took over David's body. What we need to do is find out who this Carol Danvers actually is and what she is or was capable of."

"I know who she is," Logan frowned. "But I haven't heard from her in years. She used to work for SHEILD."

"Oh goody," Pietro groaned. "We get to go play with those guys again! This should be fun."


	6. It Just Keeps Getting Better

**It Just Keeps Getting Better**

"Why the hell did **you **do that?" Mastermind shouted at his compainon when he heard the news. "Why on earth would **you **put my image in Rogue's mind in the first place?"

"Well the X-Men need to chase somebody around so it might as well be you," Lucas grinned as he stepped out of the shadows.

"Legion, I didn't join forces with you in order for **you** to make **me **a target!" Mastermind snapped.

"Relax! You're perfectly safe," Legion waved his hand. "I've already sent our little Rogue or Carol on a mission that will distract them."

"Do you really think Rogue trashing SHEILD headquarters and getting that object will put you back in Magneto's good graces?" Mastermind asked. "I mean I'm amazed you even pulled it off!"

Lucas grinned. "The girl has been under tremendous strain. Her mind is in turmoil with all she's been through. All it took was some mental suggestions over a few months while she slept at night and now **we** are in control."

"But how did you do it without Xavier detecting what was going on?" Mastermind asked.

"Simple, old Baldy's been distracted," Lucas told him. "Too many things going on and too many other mutants to play nursemaid too. And then there's Rogue herself. Between her stubborn pride and her fears it was easy to develop and maintain the false Carol persona within her."

"Creating it is one thing," Mastermind pointed out. "How long it actually lasts will be another."

"It'll be fine. We only need her under our control long enough for her to do the job she needs to do. Everything's going to plan," Lucas grinned.

_"Oh it is Boyo, **my** plan…"_ A voice whispered inside his head. Lucas realized he was not alone. Before anything could happen, he fell into darkness.

The last thing he heard was Mastermind saying. "Well it's about time. I thought you'd **never** show up!"

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"Well here we are at SHEILD," Logan muttered as he piloted the Blackbird carrying the full X-Men team as well as Xavier, Hank and Ororo into the hangar of the gigantic floating base. "Never thought I'd come to this place again."

"Why oh why couldn't we have just teleported?" Lance could be heard over the monitor of the Tomahawk Carrier that transported the Misfits. "My stomach…"

"SHEILD is antsy enough that we found their address," Roadblock told him. "If we just teleported in without a hello that would have been an even bigger mess."

"Hopefully Fury will be able to help us clear up this whole situation," Ororo said. She pressed another button on the control panel. "Blackbird to Institute. How are things Warren?"

"Oh great! Just broke up another hissy fit between Skullfire, Berzerker and Sunspot! Why did you stick me behind?" Warren moaned.

"Someone had to watch the kids," Logan shrugged.

"Yes but did that someone have to be **me?**" Warren looked at him.

"Just be grateful we didn't dump off Spyder and Trinity with you," Althea looked over Logan's shoulder. "They're back at the base with Foresight, Arcade and Forge trying to pinpoint Rogue's location."

"Well hurry up and find her soon! Somehow Multiple found some pixy sticks and he's literally running amok!"

"Oh yeah we'll hurry right on back," Scott drawled. "Blackbird out."

Soon both teams of Misfits and X-Men had landed. Several very heavily armed SHEILD agents met them and they were being escorted to another room. "Yeah this is how I wanted to spend the day," Bobby grumbled. "Any word on where Rogue is?"

"Nothing yet," Althea said. "But Trinity and the others said they'd contact us when they found something."

"Why can't we use Cerebro?" Lance asked.

"Because Cerebro is undergoing an upgrade and some minor repairs," Hank told him.

"That thing goes through a lot of upgrades and repairs," Lance muttered.

Fury walked in and he did not look happy. "What the hell are you people doing here?"

"Nice to see you too Patch," Logan waved. "This isn't a social call."

"I figured. From what we've monitored when you jokers entered our airspace you're trying to track down a missing teammate. Rogue right?" Fury asked.

"Yes," Xavier nodded.

"Dude you could hear us?" Bobby asked.

"We could hear a fly snoring at Shea Stadium during a game if we put our minds to it. Okay one of your teammates is missing. That still doesn't explain why are you trying to break into SHIELD files," Fury said. "Please tell me Trinity isn't trying online dating again!"

"Don't ask," Althea sighed when the others looked at her. "Please just don't ask."

"We think…Well Rogue thinks she murdered a woman named Carol Danvers," Jean explained. "And this murdered personality has taken over her body."

"Well that'll be a twist," A blonde woman in a black uniform walked in. "Considering she's very much alive."

"How do you know?" Scott asked. "Who are you?"

"I'm Warbird," The woman told them. "My real name is Carol Danvers. Now what's all this about me being dead?"


	7. Warbird

**Warbird**

"You're Carol Danvers? The chick Rogue thinks she killed?" Todd blinked.

"Yes," Carol replied in a very annoyed tone.

"Are you a mutant?" Jean asked. "Or are you an Esper?"

"You know about Espers?" Carol looked at her. "Oh of course, someone like you **would** know about them!"

"Carol's not really a mutant," Fury coughed. "Technically. It's…Classified."

"I have super strength and the ability to fly," Carol told them. "And I also get ticked off if I don't get my morning coffee."

"I'm gonna take a wild guess that you've never met Rogue. Am I right?" Wanda asked.

"No, I've never met any of you until today but I've read a lot of your files."

"You don't like mutants do you?" Jean frowned.

"In general I don't have a problem with them. Let's just say I'm not exactly a fan of psychics," Carol glared at Jean. "With good reason."

"I think you guys better start from the beginning and don't leave anything out," Fury told them.

Xavier and the others explained their situation. "So in other words you've got one of your most powerful mutants running amok and you have no idea what caused it!" Fury groaned. "Great Xavier! Just great! And to think I was worried about X23 being with you!"

"Have you ever had contact with Magneto?" Xavier asked Carol.

"Yeah, but not by choice. About seven years ago I was captured by Magneto and he managed to take some of my DNA," Carol explained. "Said he was going to use it to create a super mutant. I guess he finally did."

"So Magneto stole some of your DNA to make this serum which he injected Rogue with?" Wanda asked. "Well that explains why she has your powers now."

"But why does Rogue think that she's you? Or killed you or whatever's going through her head. It still doesn't make sense," Kitty threw up her hands.

"I have a thought," Carol frowned. "You said this character Mastermind was in the dream too right? Well sometimes psychics get a kick out of putting themselves in a dream their making their victim see."

"Not all psychics do that," Jean glared at her.

"Only the smart ones don't," Carol glared back. "But it does sound a like one of Mastermind's little tricks. He's done that before."

"Then maybe we should have a little 'talk' with Mastermind," Logan growled.

"The trick is finding him," Carol told him. "I mean last I heard he was shielded by Magneto so you can't track him by that Cerebro machine of yours."

"Oh we'll find him all right," Logan told her. "There's more than one way to track somebody."

"We'll split up into two teams," Xavier said. "Scott, Jean you go with Wavedancer, Xi, Toad, Avalanche, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver and Blob. Your group will find Mastermind. The rest of us will track down Rogue."

"Not that I don't mind getting another crack at that nut job, but why do I have to go with **them?**" Scott looked at the Misfits.

"It's more efficient," Althea said. "We need a psychic to help corral Mastermind and you two seem to work together well."

"Besides it's a good idea for our two teams to integrate better," Xavier said.

"Well then why don't some of them come over to our side?" Scott asked.

"Are you nuts?" Logan looked at him. "We'll do that next time okay?"

"Oh I am so looking forward to that," Pietro rolled his eyes.

"We're also going to need Warbird in the search for Rogue," Xavier said.

"I suppose it makes sense," Carol sighed. "Who better to understand me than **me?** Just keep yourself out of my head Xavier and we'll be fine."

"Whoo, and people say **I **have an attitude," Wanda whistled after Carol left the room.

"I'm afraid when it comes to telepaths and other psychics Warbird has good reason to be a bit…" Fury searched for the right word. "Hostile. Let's just say she's had some bad experiences with them."

"Oh, then she's gonna **love** this assignment," Pietro mocked.

"Maybe going with the Misfits isn't such a bad idea after all," Jean said.

Ten minutes after Scott and Jean left with the Misfits via the Mass Device the X-Men were still no closer to finding Rogue. It turned out they didn't need to look very hard.

"That's the alarm!" Fury shouted. "Bring up the surveillance videos of sector G4!" It showed Rogue in a lab knocking down several guards. "HOW THE HELL DID SHE GET IN HERE SO EASILY?"

"She thinks she's **me,** remember?" Carol snapped. "Now I am taking this personally!" She flew off.

"Well at least we now know where Rogue is!" Hank said as they raced down the hallway. Suddenly there was a huge tremble and the hallway collapsed behind the mutants. Several SHEILD Agents as well as Xavier were trapped.

"Oh no!" Kitty shouted. "Professor!"

"We'll try and corral Rogue," Hank said. "The rest of you rescue the others!" He ran off with Rina, Logan, Kurt and Remy.

Rogue was currently going toe to toe with Carol. They were fighting in the lab and trashing it. "You're gonna pay for posing as me!" Rogue shouted.

"ME? **YOU'RE** THE IMPOSTOR!" Carol swung her gloved fists at her. "I MEAN TAKE A LOOK IN A MIRROR FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!"

Carol missed and hit the wall instead. The entire fortress shook on impact. "Well that's why this flaming place is falling apart!" Logan shouted.

Rogue broke off a support beam and threw it at Carol. It missed her but made a huge hole in the wall. "There's not gonna be any thing left of this place if they don't knock it off!" Remy shouted as he hung onto a column as the air rushed around him. "What's with the wind tunnel?"

"The fortress must be pressurized and the air…" Hank gasped as his grasp slipped. "Oh dear…I need assistance here!"

He flew back and accidentally landed into Carol. "WATCH IT FURBALL!" Carol snapped.

"Tough luck!" Rogue laughed as she showed off a disk she was holding. She flew out through the hole in the wall.

"You stupid…" Carol swore as she pushed Hank off her and flew after Rogue. "COME BACK HERE YOU!"

Hank barely managed to grab onto something else before the other X-Men and Fury rushed in. "ICEMAN! CLOSE THE HOLE!" Logan ordered, barely hanging onto the wall with his claws.

"One plug coming up!" Bobby let himself fly towards the hole and used his powers to close it up just before he reached it. Of course this meant that his head hit the wall. "OW!"

"Everyone okay?" Peter asked as SHEILD security ran in.

"Barely…" Logan muttered as he stood up. "Rogue got away with some kind of disk."

"Warbird went after her," Hank said.

"How much did she get?" Fury asked a technician.

"She got the main data disk but the backup files are still in the hard drive," He told Fury as he worked on the machine.

"What did she take?" Logan asked. "And don't pull that classified junk on us. Spill it."

"Our research on the Bio-Pulse Stryker made," Fury admitted. "SHEILD confiscated the one from the Feds and we've been working on it."

"Why would you work on something like that?" Peter asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Rina sniffed. "So they can use it on **us!**"

Logan grabbed Fury by the jacket and shoved him against the wall. "Are you **insane?** What the hell were you **thinking?**"

"We were thinking that it might not be such a bad idea to have such a device to incapacitate any mutant army that decides to run amok," Fury told him. "In case you haven't noticed, Magneto's out there building an army and it's only a matter of time before he decides to use it!"

"The Bio Pulse is a weapon of **genocide!**" Hank shouted angrily. "Its original purpose is to **kill** mutants!"

"No, it's original purpose was to kill **humans**," Fury glared at him. "You can thank your friend Ms. Frost and her Hellions for that. All Stryker did was figure out a way to reverse it."

"That doesn't justify you using such a weapon," Xavier told him.

"We were figuring out how to modify it so it wouldn't be as lethal," Fury told him as he pulled himself away from Logan. "If it will make you feel any better it wasn't my idea. And I made sure to emphasize the research for non-lethal applications."

"No, but **this **will make me feel much better," Hank pressed several buttons on the computer very quickly.

"What the hell are you doing?" Fury shouted.

"Erasing the remaining data from your hard drive," Hank told him. "Thanks to a few sit in sessions with Arcade and Trinity it literally is child's play!"

"STOP HIM!" Fury ordered his men.

Almost instantly Peter, Rina, Remy and Bobby used their powers to disarm them. "Do you people realize what you're doing?" Fury snapped. "SHIELD's job is to protect the entire **world **from enemy threats! I can't keep bending over backwards for **one** particular minority!"

"We are trying to destroy a weapon of mass murder," Peter told him. "I would think that would be in **everyone's **best interests."

"You can always blame it on the attack and say all the data was destroyed," Remy suggested.

"I can't do that!" Fury shouted.

"Yes, you **can** and you **will**," Logan glared at him. "Beast you finished yet?"

"Done," Hank nodded. "And just in case…Shadowcat, if you please?"

Kitty phased through the computer and it short-circuited. "If there was anything left of that data it's gone now."

Fury glared at them. "I think you X-Men have worn out your welcome here. If I were you, I'd find Rogue **and** the data in less than 12 hours. Otherwise I won't be responsible for what happens next."

"X-Men let's go," Xavier said. They turned to leave.

"Now what?" Ororo asked.

"I think I can use the portable Cerebro on the Blackbird to track down Warbird," Xavier said. "Once we find her…"

"Odds are we'll find Rogue," Kurt nodded. "We have to find her Professor, before things get even worse!"

"Things are already worse Nightcrawler. I just hope the others are having better luck tracking down Mastermind," Remy said.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"I hate them all," Mastermind grumbled as he stumbled out of the Scottish pub where he had been drinking. "Magneto's bad enough but **Lucas?** I swear one of these days I am gonna….AAHHH!" He screamed as he was grabbed and dragged into an alley by telekinesis.

"Well hello Mastermind," Fred grinned as he held him. The Misfits, Jean and Scott were in the alley. "How are ya?" He tossed him against some trashcans.

"What's the matter Mastermind?" Lance asked. "Don't you wanna say hi to your old friends?"

"Yeah we just wanna have a nice little chat," Pietro pounded his fist in his open palm. He quickly searched Mastermind. "What do we have here?" He opened up Mastermind's shirt and saw that he was wearing a strange black shirt. "What's this? Magnetowear? Must be the latest in fashion on Asteroid M or wherever my father's base is."

"That must be how he's blocking detection by Cerebro," Angelica said. "It must have some kind of circuitry in it."

"Too bad you'll never find out…" Mastermind growled.

Before Mastermind could activate his powers he was shoved in the chest by a Bo staff. "Uh, uh…" Todd glared at him. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"The Professor put mental blocks in our heads so your little mind games won't work," Althea told him. "And if you even **think** of trying to use your illusions…"

"I will show you what Cobra trained me to do in situations like that," Xi flashed his sharp teeth. "They were very **thorough **in my training. But I think the Scarlet Witch here would like first crack at you."

"You have no idea how much I want to have **five minutes** alone with him," Wanda powered up.

"Tell you what," Scott told her. "If he refuses to talk I'll give you **ten**."

"How did you find me?" Mastermind gasped. "My powers are shielded by Magneto."

"Yeah but your credit card isn't Mr. Wyngarde," Pietro told him. "Arcade may not be Cerebro, but he is amazingly good at finding things on computers."

"All right, Mastermind. We want answers! Where's Rogue and what have you done with her?" Scott grabbed him and shoved him against the wall.

"I swear I don't know what you're talking about!" Mastermind pleaded.

"Listen Mastermind, we know about the implanted memories in Rogue," Jean told him. "Now are you going to tell us what this is all about or do I have to take the information out of your head myself?"

"I thought you X-Men didn't do things like that!" Mastermind gasped.

"In your case I am more than willing to make an exception," Jean glared.

"You may not have to if I get a good crack at him first," Wanda told her.

"What does Magneto want with Rogue this time?" Pietro asked. "If I were you I'd start talking fast!"

"It's not Magneto," A voice from the shadows told him. A familiar blond girl walked into the light. "It's Lucas."

"Cyndi…" Jean remembered her.

"This moron doesn't know anything," Cyndi told them. "Lucas purposely implanted his image to trick anyone who got a glimpse of Rogue's thoughts. What'd you call a red herring."

"Okay so what does **Lucas** want with Rogue?" Scott asked.

"He's got some cockamamie plan to get into Magneto's good graces," Cyndi told him. "He's using Rogue to do it. Come on, this way."

"How was he able to brainwash Rogue?" Scott asked as they followed her.

"Lucas is a lot more powerful than people think," Cyndi told them as they walked into a building. She secretly pressed a panel on the wall. "But I like to think I'm the real brains of the outfit."

"Huh…What…?" Scott gasped as a charged plate beneath them came to life.

"Sorry guys," Cyndi shrugged. "But you see, Rogue's not the only one being tricked. We gotta get you out of the way too."

The Misfits and X-Men screamed as a large shock ran through their system, knocking most of them out cold. "Takes more than that…To stop the Blob…" Freddy gasped.

"I agree…" Mastermind pulled out a canister of gas and threw it at him. "By the way this suit also protects me from electricity."

"They'll be fine," Cyndi said as Fred passed out. "For now anyway."

"Cutting it a little close weren't you?" Mastermind snapped.

"Hey it worked didn't it?" Cyndi told him. "Now nothing is gonna stop us."


	8. Confrontations Ala The Crying Game

**Confrontations Ala the Crying Game**

"Anybody get the number of that semi that hit us?" Pietro moaned weakly as they came to. They found themselves in a large glowing cell.

"I feel so weak…" Jean put her hand on her head. "My powers are being suppressed!"

"Well since we are in a mutant containment cell with power suppressors that would do it," Wanda said sarcastically.

"Cyclops! Where's Cyclops?" Jean looked around.

"Right here…" Scott moaned. He was chained to a wall outside the cells. "I can't reach my visor."

"Why are **you** out there?" Fred asked.

"I requested a room with a view," Scott said sarcastically. "How should **I **know?"

"Actually that was my idea," Cyndi sauntered in. She traced her finger on Scott's face. "You know you are a **very** attractive man. A bit on the stuffy side but it's nothing I can't deal with."

"Uh…" Scott winced.

"Relax," Cyndi petted his head. "Just let all of that tension melt away."

"You have no idea what tense means lady if you don't get your claws off my **boyfriend!**" Jean screamed.

"Don't be so selfish," Cyndi gave her a wicked grin. "You should learn to share. It can be kind of fun." She gave Scott a very passionate kiss. "Mmmm…Yummy!"

Suddenly Cyndi stiffened. Then she morphed into Lucas. "WHORE!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. "YOU SLUT!"

Then he shifted into Blackjack. "**You're** one to talk," He sneered. "You didn't mind doing the same to Miss Grey. Let Cyndi have a little fun."

Scott was now feeling very ill. "Oh…My…God…"

"This is getting weirder by the minute…" Wanda groaned.

"Okay what the hell is going on here?" Lance blinked.

"Very simple," Blackjack grinned. "When Lucas locked away David and Ian, he set me and Cyndi free."

"Huh?" Todd blinked.

"Idiot!" Lucas morphed back. "Apparently there were a few **other** personalities hidden away I was not aware of…"

Cyndi twisted back. "That's the understatement of the year. Boy, does David have a lot of issues!"

"Blame his bloody mother for that!" Blackjack took over.

"YOU LEAVE MY MOTHER OUT OF THIS!" Lucas reformed. "What the hell am I saying? That cow is **David's** mother not mine! This is all **her fault!**"

"Hey I like her!" Cyndi twisted back. "If it wasn't for her **we** wouldn't exist!"

"She does have a point," Blackjack shifted again.

"Fine we **all **agree on **that!**" Lucas twisted back again. "But **I** am the one in charge here!"

"Yeah right!" Cyndi twisted back. "You had to run to **Daddy** to take on David and Ian! You couldn't handle a weak willed mama's boy and a little kid! There's no way you can handle a real woman like me much less Blackjack here!"

"SHUT UP!" Lucas reverted and screamed.

"YOU SHUT UP!" Cyndi returned.

Blackjack took over again. "WHY DON'T YOU **BOTH** SHUT UP?"

Lucas returned. "MAKE ME!"

"WITH PLEASURE!" Blackjack shifted back.

"BRING IT ON!" Cyndi shifted again.

"Boy, did his mama do a number on him," Fred whistled.

"Imagine what he'd be like if Xavier **did **raise him," Todd blinked.

"What makes you so sure **she** had something to do with this?" Jean asked.

"Oh come on Jean, take a look at the one man show of Jekyll and Hyde over here," Lance pointed out as Lucas kept shifting from personality to personality. "I think the evidence speaks for itself. You know I used to think all those foster families warped **me** pretty well."

"Just goes to show you," Fred told him. "No matter how bad you think you have it, somebody else has it worse."

"AGGGHHH!" Lucas shifted from one personality to the next.

"You know I have mixed emotions about all of this," Pietro remarked. "I mean obviously I'm a little miffed about being locked up here but you gotta admit at least he's keeping us entertained."

"I agree. This is turning out to be one of our most enjoyable experiences in captivity yet," Xi nodded.

"All we need is some popcorn," Fred nodded.

"You mean they're **all** like this?" Lina asked.

"Pretty much yeah," Lance told her.

"Truth be told Lucas isn't in charge of this whole thing," Blackjack morphed back. "It's been me the whole time."

"Wow, talk about karma," Todd blinked.

"But why? Why do this to Rogue?" Scott asked.

"Why, so that your mansion would be left virtually defenseless of course," Blackjack grinned.

"Uh oh…" Todd gulped. "This is not good."

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"I tell ya, I dunno how Blackjack knew the X-Freaks were gonna go after Mastermind but this is a perfect opportunity," Sabertooth grinned. A very large number of Acolytes were hidden in the forest near the Xavier mansion planning an imminent attack.

"Yeah while most of 'em are chasing down Rogue, the mansion's pretty much unguarded," Joanna Cargil grinned. "You guys ready?"

"Oh yes," Feral grinned as she showed her claws. "The Weather Witch and her friends are going to pay for locking me up! They'll pay in blood! Gallons of it!"

"I like this girl," Sabertooth grinned. "She reminds me of myself as a pup."

"Will all of you knock it off?" Amelia Voight snapped. "There are still a lot of mutants left at the mansion you know? Xavier didn't take everybody!"

"Relax Voight," Fabian Cortez grunted. "You heard the report. There are thirty-five of us and only 15 children and a spoiled playboy left behind. Half of them can't even use their powers properly and one is injured."

"Still we must not underestimate them," A tall black haired twenty year old male with dark sunglasses and a silver and black Acolyte uniform. "Some of those children participated in battles with Cobra and Apocalypse. While they may not be as experienced as the main team their powers are still formidable. And there is always the element of surprise. Our chances of succeeding are only sixty five percent."

"Just because you're able to mentally access computers Milan doesn't mean you should think like one," Joanna grunted.

"Remember the plan," Amelia told them. "Go in, trash the mansion, get the files and get out. Try not to kill **too** many of them."

"Thank god Pyro's not here to screw it up," Gargouille groaned.

"I'll take Milan and shut down the automatic defense systems," Amelia said. "When I give the signal, the rest is up to you." She then put her hand on Milan's shoulder, converted them into a gaseous form and teleported into the mansion.

"Why doesn't she just teleport us all inside the mansion?" Feral grumbled.

"What? And miss all the fun?" Horns grinned. "Joining up with you guys has been the best career move I ever made!"

"You didn't have a choice," Gargouille pointed out. "You got kicked out of your last job."

"Yeah well I blame the Beast and Dazzler for that," Horns grunted. "And they are in for some serious payback!"

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"How are you feeling Tabitha?" Amara asked her friend in the kitchen.

"Okay I guess," She pointed to her bandage on her arm. "I mean not that I'm grateful for Lifeline and Dragonfly for helping me recover, but it still bites to be on the injured list."

"You think that sucks you should try being dead sometime," Dead Girl sauntered in wearing a new black outfit with a pink halter-top.

"I'll pass," Tabitha waved. "Wow that outfit is really you."

"Yeah thanks for the hand me down," Dead Girl grinned.

"Well it was Jean's," Tabitha shrugged.

"Everyone! Listen to me!" Betsy ran in. "We're in trouble! Big trouble!"

"What else is new?" Tabitha replied.

"We're under attack!" Betsy shouted.

"What?" Tabitha looked at her.

"Intruders outside the mansion! They know the others aren't here! I just picked up their thoughts by accident. We've got to…" Betsy began. An explosion outside cut her off.

"The automatic defenses are off!" Ray ran in. "We're being attacked!"

"Uh, we're in trouble aren't we?" Dead Girl asked.

"I'd say yes," Ray gulped.

**Next: A huge all out brawl! Two of them actually! Find out what happens next chapter!**

**And a quick note to Dante Tigerwolf or anyone else who wants to use the Misfits, go right ahead! Go on! Write stories! Draw little cartoons! Have fun! Take the pressure off of me! **


	9. One Big Battle Coming Up

**One Big Battle Coming Up**

"THIS WAS MY PLAN! MINE!" Lucas screamed.

"Oh, who are **you **kidding?" Blackjack shifted back. "Besides I would have let you play with Ms. Grey if you behaved yourself like a good little boy. But since you didn't Cyndi gets her turn."

"Yeah now shut up and let me have some fun!" Cyndi snapped as she changed back. "I've earned it!"

"Oh no you don't!" Lucas shifted back.

"Man no matter who wins, Cyclops loses," Lance casually remarked.

"Avalanche!" Jean glared at him.

"What? You would prefer it if **you** were out there?" Lance asked.

Jean thought a minute. "You have a point."

"Oh thanks a **lot!**" Scott snapped. "Lucas! Fight Cyndi! You **gotta** fight Cyndi!"

"What do you think I'm **trying **to do here? Compete in a bake off?" Lucas shouted at him. "Believe me I don't want any part of **me **touching **you **except for my **fist**!"

Just then Rogue flew in through the window. "Rogue!" Scott called out.

"The name's Carol," Rogue glared at him as she floated down.

"Ah impeccable timing my dear," Lucas grinned. "I'll take that data disk if you don't mind."

"What data disk?" Jean asked.

Just then the door broke open. "The one this jerk stole from SHEILD!" Carol Danvers shouted as she flew in.

"Oh crap…" Lucas grunted. "I forgot about **you!**"

"You forgot a lot of things," Carol snapped. "But you **won't** after today! Brainwashing someone's bad enough but making her think she's **me**? Oh you are really gonna pay!"

"Right," Lucas decided to send a psychic attack at her. "What? Nothing's happening?"

"Let's just say I've prepared for someone like you," Carol snarled."A little mental block your old man gave me before you sent her to trash SHEILD!"

"Destroy her!" Lucas ordered Rogue.

"With pleasure!" Rogue flew towards Carol and they started to fight again.

"Snap out of it Rogue!" Jean shouted.

"She can't hear you," Lucas laughed as he watched the fight. "She'll only listen to me!"

"You're gonna pay imposter!" Rogue shouted.

"Listen girl, you're the one whose brain has been scrambled here!" Carol snapped as she punched back.

Cyndi shifted back. "Get her! Get her! Tear her head off!"

Carol saw the shift. "What the…?"

That was when Rogue saw her opportunity and gave her a right hook into the wall. "Okay…Now that hurt!" Carol shouted as she wobbly sat up.

Rogue tackled her. "Now you're going to pay!"

"Oh yeah…" Carol started to say as she grabbed Rogue by the face. However her gloves had been torn and she made skin contact with Rogue. "AAHHHHHHH!"

"AAGGGGHHH!" Rogue screamed as Carol's life force and powers flowed into her.

"HA!" Lucas shifted back. "That was easy!"

Rogue lowered the unconscious Carol onto the ground. "Wait…That's me…But it wasn't me before…" Suddenly Carol's memories rushed into Rogue's head. "Wait if this is Carol then I'm…." She glared at Lucas. "YOU!"

"Uh oh," Lucas gulped. "Carol dear, you're confused. Here let me…"

To this he was met with Rogue's fist to his face. "You messed with my mind!" She screamed. "You used me!"

"You screwed up Lucas!" Cyndi shifted back.

"Me? This was Blackjack's idea!" Lucas shifted back.

"BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP! I CAN'T CONCENTRATE!" Blackjack shouted.

"GOOD!" Rogue took advantage of the situation and tackled him.

"Now this is what I call a big finish," Fred grinned.

"We have to stop her before she kills him!" Jean shouted.

"And that's bad, **why?**" Pietro folded his arms.

"They're in here!" Logan ran in with the rest of the X-Men. "Holy…"

"What's going on?" Kurt asked.

"Long story short Lucas is more than one brick shy of a full load," Fred told them as they were freed from their cells. "I mean that wheelbarrow is nearly **empty!**"

"Huh?" Kitty asked.

"He means Cyndi and Blackjack are **also **personalities of Legion!" Scott told them as Logan cut his bonds.

"Yeah it looks like Rogue ain't the only one having an identity crisis!" Todd said.

"You **used** me!" Rogue screamed as she threw Lucas to the side of a wall.

Blackjack shifted. "Time to retreat!"

"NO KIDDING! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" A very battered Lucas screamed as he flew away. He changed into Cyndi who shouted. "OH SHUT UP!"

Jean used her telekinesis to grab Rogue. "LET GO OF ME!" She screamed. She grabbed her head. "No…No…All these memories…Too many of them…"

Xavier entered the room and used his telepathy to help Rogue. _Rogue! Fight them! Let me help you contain those personalities! You've done it before! You can do it again! _

"Carol…" Rogue gasped. "Get outta my head!" She screamed and collapsed onto the ground.

"Rogue!" Remy ran to her. "She's out cold."

"Iceman, call the mansion and let them know what's happened," Xavier ordered.

"Got it," Bobby nodded and ran to the Blackbird.

"The Blackbird's outside," Logan told them as he picked up Carol. "We can take it from here."

"Man, what a freaky trip," Todd remarked as they went outside. "Cyclops nearly had a tongue sandwich from Legion."

"What?" Kurt blinked.

"I swear if you people say one word to anyone about what happened to me…" Scott fumed.

"Hey compared to what **nearly** happened to you, you got off easy," Lance said.

"Do I wanna know what happened?" Logan looked at Scott.

"No," Scott frowned. "You don't!"

"Nobody does!" Jean snapped.

"Come on Summers it ain't your fault Legion's girl side has the hots for you," Todd remarked. "You are one sexy dude."

"SHUT UP!" Scott shouted at him reaching for his shirt but missing. Todd hopped away cackling.

"Xavier your kid needs some serious help," Lance told him.

"And this is coming from a guy who occasionally has hallucinations about a talking coyote," Toad nodded.

"Didn't somebody tell you to **shut up?**" Lance whirled on him.

"Your tongue is gonna end up in a knot if you don't quit it!" Scott snapped.

"Listen, we can only focus on one mental case at a time," Kurt snapped at Todd, Lance and Scott. "So can we please focus on Rogue? We can deal with all of **your **mental problems later!"

"Is she gonna be okay?" Remy asked as he held Rogue.

"I don't know," Jean told him. "But I think our Rogue is in control again."

"Legion got away," Fred told them.

"Well he can't get away from himself," Althea said. "He's getting a taste of his own medicine as we speak!"

"No wonder he was able to create a false personality in Rogue," Scott grumbled. "I mean look at what he did to himself!"

"I fear that Legion may be too powerful for his own good," Xavier shook his head.

"Guys I hate to cut this touching scene short, but we gotta move!" Bobby shouted from the Blackbird. "The Mansion's under attack!"

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Warren barely had time to shut down the mansion and lock it on Defcon 4 before the rest of the invaders made it inside. "It's a good thing I have some of those over ride codes in the computer upstairs…" Warren muttered.

"Why can't we just fight them?" Ray asked.

"You may get your chance," Warren winced as something strong pounded on the steel doors, creating dents. "I managed to send a mayday signal to the Blackbird but something tells me they won't hear it in time!"

"But how did they shut down the outside defenses in the first place?" Sam asked.

"Someone's in the mansion…In the lower levels…" Betsy rubbed her head. "I sense some unfamiliar minds…"

"Cerebro!" Warren growled. "Damn it! They must have some kind of teleporter! Okay here's what we'll do; Sunspot, Forge, Bedlam and Psylocke come with me. We're gonna ferret out whoever's in here. The rest of you try to keep the other intruders from getting into the mansion. Cannonball, you're in charge."

"Why **him?**" Tim asked.

"Because I said so that's **why!**" Warren snapped as he took his team downstairs.

"All right, everybody take defensive positions," Sam ordered as the walls started to crumble and the dents in the doors and windows grew bigger. "Looks like those doors won't hold them forever. Get ready…"

"Where's Penny?" Danielle looked around.

"Last I saw she was headed…Outside…" Jamie remembered.

"Oh crap…" Sam moaned.

"Come on, put your backs into it!" Cortez snapped to the other invading mutants. "For the glory of Magneto you…" He heard something come at him. "AGGGHHH!"

Everyone saw Cortez being hit hard by something pink and black. Penny easily knocked him out cold. "Ow…" Cortez muttered before he passed out.

"Cortez is the first one down five minutes in the battle," Sabertooth noticed. "Now **there's** a shock!"

"Bigger shock. He was taken down by a little pink girl," Horns snickered.

"Hssssss!" Penny arched her back and tackled Horns.

"YEOW! GET HER OFFA ME!" Horns screamed. "OW!"

"I got her!" A telekinetic tossed her off of Horns and held her in the air. "Sheesh! She's heavier than she looks!"

Suddenly the armor plating began to pull back into the mansion. "Finally! Took Milan long enough to break through those codes!" Sabertooth grinned. The Acolytes poured into the mansion where the fighting began

"Guess who's back?" Feral laughed with glee as she kicked Everett aside and charged towards the other New Mutants.

"Feral?" Jubilee gasped. "Somebody let the cat out of prison!"

"We're gonna put her back!" Amara shouted.

"You and what army?" Feral snarled.

"Funny you should mention that," Jubilee indicated Jamie and his fifty clones.

"CHAAAAARRRRRGGEEE!" The Multiple army attacked. Several clones grabbing whatever Acolyte closest to them at a time. They bit, kicked and tried to drag down as many as they could.

"GET 'EM OFF! GET 'EM OFF!"Feral screamed. "STOP PULLING MY TAIL!"

"YOU LITTLE PERVERT!" Joanna Cargil screamed. "HE FELT ME UP! STOP THAT!"

"SPIDERS! SPIDERS!" One mutant was suffering from Danielle's attack. Another was burned in the behind by Amara. Lockeheed was darting in and out blasting any intruder he could find with his fire. Tim and Ray were happily blasting away anyone they could find. Even though the New Mutants were outnumbered, they were still easily holding their own. After all, they usually had bigger fights with the Misfits nearly every day. Even the new recruits seemed to get into the spirit as well with very little problems.

"How are you holding up Synch?" Dead Girl asked as she kicked one invader down.

"Quite well actually. A lot of powers for me to choose from," Everett grinned as he demonstrated his ability to mimic telekinesis.

"Time to die!" Gargouille grabbed Dead Girl and held her in the air. Another Acolyte blasted her with energy and she dropped the body pieces on the ground. "Pathetic." She landed to gloat.

"I'm **already** dead genius!" Dead Girl reformed and tackled Gargouille. "No matter how many times I get blasted I pull myself together. Let's see if you do the same!"

With a swift movement she managed to grab onto Gargouille's left wing and broke it. "AGGGGHH!" Gargouille screamed in agony.

"Now who's **pathetic**?" Dead Girl grinned.

"RARRRRR!" Penny charged throught he Acolyltes slashing away.

"YEOW! THAT HURTS!" Joanna Cargil screamed.

Down below in the lower chambers the four X-Men could hear the explosions and felt the foundation shake. "And I thought Avalanche could really shake the place up," Jesse muttered.

"We're just gonna have to hope they can hold out until the others get here," Warren said as he approached the door to Cerebro.

"There's only two of them and they're in there…" Betsy pointed out. "I can sense them…"

"And of course the door is somehow locked," Warren grumbled. "Great. I gotta try and over ride the system."

"How's it coming Milan?" Amelia asked on the other side of the door.

Milan was holding a laptop computer and using his mutant powers to link up with Cerebro. "I have downloaded 15 percent of the data in Cerebro," He said. "Accessing mutant files now. Also there are some X-Men on the other side of the door attempting to get in. I have to divert 25 percent of my concentration in order to keep them out."

"I think we may need to even the odds a little," Amelia prepared to teleport. "I'll get some reinforcements." She teleported upstairs.

Warren and Roberto were working on the control panel. "Almost there…" Roberto said.

"Okay get ready for anything," Warren warned them.

"Hold it, one of them has left the room…" Betsy blinked. "They definitely have a teleporter there."

"Then that means…" Warren began when he heard an odd hissing sound.

Behind them they saw Voight reappear with Sabertooth and two unknown mutants. "Sabertooth, Scanner! Senyaka! Stop them!" Voight shouted. "I'm going to help Milan download the rest of Cerebro's files!" She disappeared back into Cerebro's chamber.

"Dibs on Wings!" The blond female Acolyte named Scanner shouted as she charged.

The Acolyte Senyaka, completely covered in red and black body armor and a cowl created two psyonic whips with his arms and snapped them at Roberto and Jesse. "Yikes!" Jesse narrowly missed getting hit.

"I guess that leaves the frail to me!" Sabertooth laughed as he charged at Betsy.

"This week is getting better and better…" Betsy groaned as she did some back flips in order to avoid Sabertooth's claws.

"Okay lady why don't you just…" Warren flew towards her. She disappeared. "Where did she go?" He stopped and landed looking around. Then he was kicked from behind. "Invisibility?"

"Gee what was your **first** clue?" Scanner laughed as she reappeared.

"Let's see you laugh when I get through with you lady!" Warren flew right at her.

Then he flew right through her. "Let's see if you touch me first!" She laughed.

"Oh great, someone who can phase as well as become invisible!" Warren groaned.

Jesse dodged Senyaka's whip, which cut a large hole in the wall. "I don't know what exactly those things are made of but something tells me I don't wanna find out what it'll do to me!"

"Eat sunblasts!" Roberto shouted as he powered up and blasted his energy at Senyaka. Senyaka merely whirled his whips around in a defensive mode and made a small shield with the energy he created so that the ray blast bounced harmlessly off. "Oh boy…"

Meanwhile Sabertooth had managed to corner Betsy. "Scream for me…" He grinned.

"GET LOST!" Betsy shouted, unleashing a full spectrum of her psychic energy at Sabertooth. In her hands psychic energy formed into a purple knife and she threw it at Sabertooth's head.

"YEAAARRHHHGGHH!" Sabertooth collapsed against the psychic backlash.

"How did I do that?" Betsy looked at her hands.

"Well could you do it again?" Roberto asked as he tried to fly away from Senyaka's whips. One cut him on the back. "AGGGHH!" He fell to the ground.

"SUNSPOT!" Warren shouted and tried to help him only to be hit hard with a psychic whip as well. He crumpled to the floor.

"Two down, two to go…" Scanner grinned at Betsy and Jesse. "This will be easy!"

"Oh no it **won't**!" Betsy put her hands to her head and unleashed a huge psychic wave.

"AGGHH!" Senyaka stumbled.

"Too…Powerful…" Scanner knelt to the ground.

"Man," Jesse blinked. "I'm glad you're on our side."

"You can disrupt machinery right?" Betsy panted. "Try it on the control panel."

"Worth a shot," Jesse focused his powers and the control panel sparked. The door to Cerebro slid open.

"What the…?" Amelia gasped.

"Get away from those files!" Betsy advanced on Amelia.

"Let me shut them down!" Jesse used his powers again, intending to attack the laptop. Unfortunately he also hit Cerebro and anyone connected to it.

"AIIAAAGGHHH!" Milan screamed and collapsed to the ground.

"Milan!" Amelia went towards him.

"Forget him!" Scanner had recovered and grabbed her by the arm. "We got all we can! Get us out of here before we end up like him!"

"For once I agree…" Sabertooth got to his feet as well as Senyaka. Voight teleported them out.

Meanwhile the battle upstairs was not going well for the Acolytes. "Oooh…" Cortez stood up battered and broken. "What hit me?"

"RETREAT!" Horns knocked him down as he ran out. "RETREAT!"

"Cortez! Come on!" Feral snarled as she ran past him. "We gotta get outta here! We're not powerful enough! These kids are too good!"

"We are the mighty Acolytes of Magneto! How can we be…" Cortez began. Then he saw thirty rampaging Jamie clones headed straight towards him. "Oh no…" Of course he was trampled by them. "RETREAT! RETREAT!"

"YEAH RUN! RUN YOU FREAKING COWARDS!" Tim laughed as he shot out energy blasts at the retreating Acolytes.

"Damnit! I was only able to retrieve a third of the files we needed!" Amelia swore. "Magneto will **not **be pleased!"

"Hey we were lucky to get out of there with our skins in tact," Horns snapped. "Those freaks are better than we thought!"

"Yeah and at least we sent a message to 'em to stay out of our way," Joanna told her.

"Some message," Gargouille held her broken wing. "We had the advantage and they **still** kicked our butts! And they got Milan!"

"What's left of him…" Sabertooth grunted.

"I just hope what we did get will be enough for Magneto to accept our losses," Voight thought as they fled.

"We beat 'em," A very tattered Tabitha whooped. "Ow…"

"Yeah and we wrecked our home doing it," Sam looked at the devastation.

"There goes the budget," Danielle sighed.

"So does stuff like this happen a lot around here?" Tim asked as he looked around.

"Unfortunately," Sam groaned.

"Really?" Tim looked a bit pleased with himself. "You know maybe this place isn't so bad after all."

"At least we won't get bored," Dead Girl said. "Hey! What happened to the others?"

"We'd better go find them," Sam said and they went downstairs. "Are you guys okay?" He asked when they found them.

"If by okay you mean a massive headache and several broken bones, yeah…" Roberto sat up stiffly.

"What happened to him?" Everett asked as he pointed to the unconscious Acolyte.

"I overheard that red head say his power is being able to link his brain with a computer," Betsy said. "He was trying to download files using his power. When Bedlam fried Cerebro's circuits he must have fried his brain too."

"Eww…" Tabitha winced. "Is he gonna be like a vegetable or something?"

"I am **not** changing his bedpan I am telling you that," Amara folded her arms.

"Too bad, he's kind of cute," Dead Girl said. "And him being in a coma is a plus. No boring conversation."

"Tell me you are not serious," Ray looked at her.

"Hey, I'm not exactly in a position to be picky ya know?" Dead Girl told them.

"I don't want to know any more," Everett groaned. "I **definitely** do not want to know any more!"

"Ohhhh…" Warren woke up. "What happened?"

"We won…" Betsy told him. "I think…" She looked around at the devastation.

That was when Several X-Men and Misfits teleported into the room. "We're here to…Help?" Althea looked around.

"What took you so long?" Dead Girl asked sarcastically.


	10. A New Day Is Dawning

**A New Day is Dawning**

"So all this time this Carol Rogue was hearing was just Lucas trying to brainwash Rogue?" Betsy asked the following day back at the mansion.

"Yes and the irony is Rogue had to absorb the **real** Carol Danvers in order to break Lucas' hold on her," Scott said. He looked at the damage in the hallways. "Man what a mess."

"I'm sorry we weren't able to stop them from stealing any of the data," Betsy apologized. "Or trashing the place."

"Hey, if anyone's to blame it's me for running headlong into that trap," Scott sighed. "I'm just glad you guys are tougher than you look, otherwise we might not have had a mansion to come back too!"

"It wasn't just your decision alone Scott," Xavier wheeled behind them. "I should have known Magneto would have taken advantage of our situation."

"Wouldn't put it past him to create it in the first place," Scott grunted.

"No, that was Blackjack's idea," Xavier shook his head. "It was a brilliant plan. By having Rogue steal data from SHEILD it would force us to leave the mansion with not enough defenses to stop the Acolytes from stealing data from us."

"So Blackjack and Cyndi were running the show while Lucas thought he was doing all the work," Betsy thought it out.

"Mostly Blackjack," Jean told her. "And if anything went wrong Lucas would be the scapegoat personality."

"While Blackjack would use the opportunity to get more in favor with Magneto," Scott thought.

"Exactly," Xavier frowned. "He used Lucas the way Lucas used David and Ian."

"Who's David and Ian?" Betsy asked.

"It's a long story," Scott said as they headed down to the infirmary. They went to Rogue's bed first. "How are you doing Rogue?"

"I'm sore all over and got a killer headache but I'll be okay," She said. "I just wish people would stop using me in their plots to take over the world! It's starting to become a running joke!"

"I've managed to help contain the Carol Danvers psyche," Jean was by her bed. "The real one that is. The fake one is gone."

"Yeah now I've got the **real** Carol stuck in my head. But at least the real one's still alive and will wake up in a day or two. I'm so glad I'm not a killer," Rogue sighed in relief. "So how did the whole Lucas/Blackjack/Cyndi thing end up?"

"I have no idea," Xavier sighed. "It looks like Lucas is now back where he started. Only this time there are a lot more personalities he has to contend with. And they're much stronger and more powerful."

"Should we tell Magneto about this?" Jean asked.

"You're kidding, right?" Betsy looked at her. "After all the trouble he put us through I think he should get a taste of his own medicine!"

Xavier frowned. "What did I say **now?**" Betsy asked.

"Lucas is the alter ego of the Professor's son," Jean sighed. "That's **another** long story."

"Oh dear," Betsy blinked. "I just keep putting my foot in it don't I?"

"Well to be fair there are a lot of landmines around here," Scott acknowledged.

"By the way what happened to our houseguest?" Betsy asked.

"Misfits took him to some kind of military prison," Scott said. "But I don't think he's gonna be able to sit up by himself for a long time, let alone escape."

"What about SHIELD?" Rogue asked.

"Fury wasn't exactly thrilled that Blackjack or whoever he was at the moment managed to get away with the data," Scott sighed. "Or that one of his agents came back in a coma."

"Let's just say we're lucky SHEILD isn't pressing charges against us," Xavier sighed.

"I think we've all but burned **that **bridge we had with them," Jean sighed. "At least they don't have the plans to build a Bio Pulse."

"But Magneto does," Scott frowned.

"And it's all my fault," Rogue frowned.

"No it's not!" Betsy said. "You can't blame yourself for what Lucas did to you!"

"Betsy's right," Xavier said. "It's mine for being too complacent. I assumed no one would dare mess with any of our minds again after the Apocalypse incident. I was wrong. Truth is Rogue, it could have happened to nearly any one of us."

"Yeah, but I was the easiest mark," Rogue brought her knees to her chest. "And he was right. I knew something was wrong with me but I was too scared and stubborn…"

"Look I admit I don't know the whole story here," Betsy said. "But I do know if somebody messed with my head before I wouldn't want anyone to look down on me or anything. You have to learn to trust your friends. Then again this is coming from someone who looks like one of your mother's other selves so maybe I'm not exactly the one who should be saying this."

"Why don't you rest for a bit?" Xavier suggested. Scott and Jean left leaving Betsy alone with Rogue.

Rogue made a wry smile. "By the way…Thank you."

"For what?" Betsy asked.

"For kicking the butts of the jerks who invaded our home **that's **why," Rogue said. "And I'm sorry about…"

"Don't apologize," Betsy told her. "Really you don't have to."

"No, I have to," Rogue said. "I don't have any right to judge you when your powers go out of control. Look what happened to me!"

"Well to be fair Lucas or Legion or whatever his name had a hand in that," Betsy pointed out. "Not to mention your loving mother. But if you really want to make it up to me you could show me around the Institute when you get better. You can tell me which students are the geeks we should prank."

"I think I'm starting to like your style," Rogue grinned. "It's nice to have you as a friend again. Well even though it wasn't really you to begin with."

"Well at least your mum has some good taste."

"Don't count on it. Considering who she's shacked up with in the past and is currently…" Rogue shuddered.

"I know about Sabertooth but who else? In case I feel like inserting my foot into my mouth again."

"Well, she's slept with Kurt's biological father Matt Burke, a British spy, my former guardian Irene, a.k.a. Destiny…"

"Uh, she's female right?"

"Oh yeah," Rogue nodded. "Now she's with Zartan leader of the Dreadnoks who work for Cobra. And she's pregnant with his kid."

"Good lord this place is sounding more and more like a mutant version of East Enders meets Dallas every minute," Betsy blinked.

"You don't know the half ofit," Rogue sighed.

Meanwhile a pensive Xavier was in the halls with Jean and Scott. "Repairs are coming along pretty quickly, considering," Scott told him. "Both the Misfits and the New Mutants are helping us rebuild."

"Well at least now we have an excuse to add on those extra rooms," Jean said. "Professor? Are you okay? You look really worried."

"You're still thinking about what happened at SHEILD aren't you?" Scott asked him.

"Yes, as much as I'd hate to admit it, I can understand Fury's point," Xavier sighed. "And now that both Magneto and the Hellfire club have the Bio Pulse weapon…"

"It'll be like stopping Apocalypse all over again," Jean said. "Only this time we have **two** sets of enemies and no idea when or where they'll strike."

"One thing's for sure it won't be in a remote location," Xavier frowned. "Most definitely they'll set it off in a heavily populated area in order to activate the most X-Genes possible. And if both Magneto and the Hellfire club have the resources to make more than one…"

"I just thought of something even worse," Scott frowned. "If things get really desperate there's only one other person Fury might turn to in order to build another Bio Pulse and have it used on mutants."

"Stryker…" Xavier frowned.

"He wouldn't! Would he?" Jean asked. "I mean the man is a psychopath!"

"So's Trask but that didn't stop Fury from getting his help when Apocalypse made his move," Scott pointed out.

"You have a point," Xavier put his hand to his head. "I never thought I'd admit this but I'm glad we at least have the Joes and Misfits on our side."

"Oh come on we're not that bad," Airtight said as he walked in with Lifeline.

"Let's just say you have your moments," Scott folded his arms. "What's going on?"

"Well we finished analyzing the information we got from Rogue's tests before the incident," Airtight said. "And we've come up with something. How is she?"

"Better," Jean told him.

"Well enough to try on clothes?" Airtight asked.

"Say what?" Jean asked.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"Just what I need to get over my trauma, another stupid uniform," Rogue looked at what she was wearing. It was a black outfit with a gold X over her right breast and a strange thin expandable gold belt in the middle. The sleeves were short and she was wearing black boots and no gloves. She was in the Danger Room with Trinity, Airtight, Xavier, Remy and Scott.

"Not just a uniform," Airtight told her. "If my calculations are correct this may be a way for you to learn to control your powers. It's made up of an experimental polymer with circuits that can dampen your powers to some degree."

"What do you mean?" Rogue asked.

"Right now there's an electrical current running through the suit in synch with your own bio-electricity," Daria explained. "But this current is slightly stronger and can over ride the frequency your powers have. The life sucking ones that is."

"I don't feel anything," Rogue said.

"It's there, trust us," Quinn said.

"**That** will be a first," Remy groaned.

"So what do I do?" Rogue asked.

"Well it's already set up," Quinn said.

"How about we test it out?" Brittany asked.

"Gambit could go for a test run," Remy raised his eyebrows and leaned in close.

"What if it doesn't work and I absorb your thoughts?" Rogue asked.

"That's okay," Remy grinned. "Gambit have all sorts of **new **thoughts in his head."

"SHUT UP GAMBIT!" Rogue punched him and he fell down hard. "Huh? I didn't absorb him. I can touch him without hurting him."

"Trust me, that **hurt**…" Remy groaned where he lay on the floor.

"Oh did I mention you'll still have most of your super strength as well as your ability to fly?" Airtight asked. "We were planning on testing it out first."

"Not what we had in mind," Daria said.

"But effective," Brittany said.

"Oh goody..." Remy groaned.

"In a few years your body will build a tolerance to these impulses and they will be incorporated to your unique biochemical energy," Airtight continued. "You'll be able to mentally regulate your powers. Kind of like how people who get allergy shots over the years build up a slight tolerance to what they're allergic too."

"Push this button here to turn them off and then again to turn your powers on again," Quinn showed her.

"However there are some limitations," Daria told her. "You can't have this suit on for longer than three hours. Otherwise it might overload a little."

"When you say a little…You mean it might **explode** or something?" Remy asked.

"Or something," Brittany whistled. "Yeah…" 

"And you can't wear it every day," Daria added. "Only three times out of the week and never two days in a row. Otherwise it might overload your system."

"And you might blow up or something," Brittany said. "We think…"

"In other words I'm wearing something that will either cure me or kill me," Rogue looked at them. "It figures."

"It's not much but at least it will help you to some extent," Airtight told her. "I mean you have to have that entire outfit on to work. But I figure that's a bit more dignified than some horrible collar."

"It doesn't matter. I can touch again…" Tears were coming down from Rogue's eyes. "Even if it isn't perfect it's better than what I had before! Oh thank you!" She ran over and hugged Airtight.

"Oh sure, **him** you hug…" Remy grumbled as he stood up.

"This is great, Rogue," Scott said. "I'm really happy for you! Come on, let's leave them alone for a bit."

"Why? This is the good part!" Brittany asked before Scott grabbed her. Soon Rogue and Remy were left alone.

"Okay Chere, I guess I had that coming," Remy scratched his head.

"You bet you did," Rogue folded her arms.

"But it did work," Remy grinned.

"Swamp Rat just shut up and kiss me," Rogue told him.

And he did.


End file.
